The Roads we Take.docx
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The Roads we Take.docx
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TheRoadsweTake
TheRoadsweTake
TWIENTYmilesWestofTucson,the"SunsetExpress"stoppedatatanktotakeonwater.Besidestheaqueous,additiontheengineofthatfamousflyeracquiredsomeotherthingsthatwerenotgoodforit.
Whilethefiremanwasloweringthefeedinghose,BobTidball,"Shark"Dodsonandaquarter-bredCreekIndiancalledJohnBigDogclimbedontheengineandshowedtheengineerthreeroundorificesinpiecesofordnancethatthecarried.Theseorificessoimpressedtheengineerwiththeirpossibilitiesthatheraisedbothhandsinagesturesuchasaccompaniestheejaculation"Dotell!
"
AtthecrispcommandofSharkDodson,whowasleaderoftheattackingforcetheengineerdescendedtothegroundanduncoupledtheengineandtender.ThenJohnBigDog,percheduponthecoal,sportivelyheldtwogunsupontheenginedriverandthefireman,andsuggestedthattheyruntheenginefiftyyardsawayandthereawaitfurtherorders.
SharkDodsonandBobTidball,scorningtoputsuchlow-gradeoreasthepassengersthroughthemill,struckoutfortherichpocketoftheexpresscar.Theyfoundthemessengersereneinthebeliefthatthe"SunsetExpress"wastakingonnothingmorestimulatinganddangerousthanaquapura.WhileBobwasknockingthisideaoutofhisheadwiththebutt-endofhissix-shooterSharkDodsonwasalreadydosingtheexpress-carsafewithdynamite.
Thesafeexplodedtothetuneof$30,000,allgoldandcurrency.Thepassengersthrusttheirheadscasuallyoutofthewindowstolookforthethunder-cloud.Theconductorjerkedatthebell-rope,whichsaggeddownlooseandunresisting,athistug.SharkDodsonandBobTidball,withtheirbootyinastoutcanvasbag,tumbledoutoftheexpresscarandranawkwardlyintheirhigh-heeledbootstotheengine.
Theengineer,sullenlyangrybutwise,rantheengine,accordingtoorders,rapidlyawayfromtheinerttrain.Butbeforethiswasaccomplishedtheexpressmessenger,recoveredfromBobTidball'spersuadertoneutrality,jumpedoutofhiscarwithaWinchesterrifleandtookatrickinthegame.Mr.JohnBigDog,sittingonthecoaltender,unwittinglymadeawrongleadbygivinganimitationofatarget,andthemessengertrumpedhim.WithaballexactlybetweenhisshoulderbladestheCreekchevalierofindustryrolledofftotheground,thusincreasingtheshareofhiscomradesinthelootbyone-sixtheach.
Twomilesfromthetanktheengineerwasorderedtostop.
Therobberswavedadefiantadieuandplungeddownthesteepslopeintothethickwoodsthatlinedthetrack.Fiveminutesofcrashingthroughathicketofchapparalbroughtthemtoopenwoods,wherethreehorsesweretiedtolow-hangingbranches.OnewaswaitingforJohnBigDog,whowouldneverridebynightordayagain.Thisanimaltherobbersdivestedofsaddleandbridleandsetfree.Theymountedtheothertwowiththebagacrossonepommel,androdefastandwithdiscre-tionthroughtheforestandupaprimeval,lonelygorge.HeretheanimalthatboreBobTidballslippedonamossyboulderandbrokeaforeleg.Theyshothimthroughtheheadatonceandsatdowntoholdacouncilofflight.Madesecureforthepresentbythetortuoustrailthey-hadtravelled,thequestionoftimewasnolongersobig.Manymilesandhourslaybetweenthemandthespryestpossethatcouldfollow.SharkDodson'shorse,withtrailingropeanddroppedbridle,pantedandcroppedthankfullyofthegrassalongthestreaminthegorge.BobTidballopenedthesack,drewoutdoublehandfulsoftheneatpackagesofcurrencyandtheonesackofgoldandchuckledwiththegleeofachild.
"Say,youolddouble-deckedpirate,"hecalledjoyfullytoDodson,"yousaidwecoulddoit--yougotaheadforfinancingthatknocksthehornsoffofanythinginArizona."
"Whatarewegoingtodoaboutahossforyou,Bob?
Weain'tgotlongtowaithere.They'llbeonourtrailbeforedaylightinthemornin'."
"Oh,Iguessthatcayuseofyourn'llcarrydoubleforawhile,"answeredthesanguineBob."We'llannexthefirstanimalwecomeacross.Byjingoes,wemadeahaul,didn'twe?
Accordin'tothemarksonthismoneythere's$30,000--$15,000apiece!
"
"It'sshortofwhatIexpected,"saidSharkDodson,kickingsoftlyatthepackageswiththetoeofhisbootandthenhelookedpensivelyatthewetsidesofhistiredhorse.
"OldBolivar'smightynighplayedout,"hesaid,slowly."Iwishthatsorrelofyourshadn'tgothurt."
"SodoI,"saidBob,heartily,"butitcan'tbehelped.Bolivar'sgotplentyofbottom--he'llgetusbothfarenoughtogetfreshmounts.Dangit,Shark,Ican'tbelpthinkin'howfunnyitisthatanEasternerlikeyoucancomeouthereandgiveusWesternfellowscardsandspadesinthedesperadobusiness.WhatpartoftheEastwasyoufrom,anyway?
"
"NewYorkState,"saidSharkDodson,sittingdownonaboulderandchewingatwig."IwasbornonafarminUlsterCounty.IranawayfromhomewhenIwasseventeen.ItwasanaccidentmycomingWest.Iwaswalkin'alongtheroadwithmyclothesinabundle,makin'forNewYorkCity.Ihadanideaofgoin'thereandmakin'lotsofmoney.IalwaysfeltlikeIcoulddoit.Icametoaplaceoneevenin'wheretheroadforkedandIdidn'tknowwhichforktotake.Istudiedaboutitforhalfanhour,andthenItooktheleft-hand.ThatnightIrunintothecampofaWildWestshowthatwastravellin'amongthelittletowns,andIwentWestwithit.I'veoftenwonderedifIwouldn'thaveturnedoutdifferentifI'dtooktheotherroad."
"Oh,Ireckonyou'dhaveendedupaboutthesame,"saidBobTidball,cheerfullyphilosophical."Itain'ttheroadswetake;it'swhat'sinsideofusthatmakesusturnoutthewaywedo."
SharkDodsongotupandleanedagainstatree.
"I'dagooddealratherthatsorrelofyournhadn'thurthimself,Bob,"hesaidagain,almostpathetically.
"Samehere,"agreedBob;"hewassureafirst-ratekindofacrowbait.ButBolivar,he'llpullusthroughallright.Reckonwe'dbetterbemovin'on,hadn'twe,Shark?
I'llbagthisboodleag'inandwe'llhitthetrailforhighertimber."
BobTidballreplacedthespoilinthebagandtiedthemouthofittightlywithacord.WhenhelookedupthemostprominentobjectthathesawwasthemuzzleofSharkDodson's.45helduponhimwithoutawaver.
"Stopyourfunnin',"saidBob,withagrin."Wegottobehittin'thebreeze."
"Setstill,"saidShark."Youain'tgoin'tohitnobreeze,Bob.Ihatetotellyou,butthereain'tanychanceforbutoneofus.Bolivar,he'splentytired,andhecan'tcarrydouble."
"Webeenpards,meandyou,SharkDodson,forthreeyear,"Bobsaidquietly."We'veriskedourlivestogethertimeandagain.I'vealwaysgiveyouasquaredeal,andIthoughtyouwasaman.I'veheardsomequeerstoriesaboutyoushootin'oneortwomeninapeculiarway,butIneverbelieved'em.Nowifyou'rejusthavin'alittlefunwithme,Shark,putyourgunup,andwe'llgetonBolivarandvamose.Ifyoumeantoshoot--shoot,youblackheartedsonofatarantula!
"
SharkDodson'sfaceboreadeeplysorrowfullook."Youdon'tknowhowbadIfeel,"hesighed,"aboutthatsorrelofyournbreakin'hisleg,Bob."
TheexpressiononDodson'sfacechangedinaninstanttooneofcoldferocitymingledwithinexorablecupidity.Thesoulofthemanshoweditselfforamomentlikeanevilfaceinthewindowofareputablehouse.
TrulyBobTidballwasneverto"hitthebreeze"again.Thedeadly.45ofthefalsefriendcrackedandfilledthegorgewitharoarthatthewallshurledbackwithindignantechoes.AndBolivar,unconsciousaccomplice,swiftlyboreawaythelastoftheholders-upofthe"SunsetExpress,"notputtothestressof"carryingdouble."
Butas"Shark"Dodsongallopedawaythewoodsseemedtofadefromhisview;therevolverinhisrighthandturnedtothecurvedarmofamahoganychair;hissaddlewasstrangelyupholstered,andheopenedhiseyesandsawhisfeet,notinstirrups,butrestingquietlyontheedgeofaquartered-oakdesk.
IamtellingyouthatDodson,ofthefirmofDodson&Decker,WallStreetbrokers,openedhiseyes.Peabody,theconfidentialclerk,wasstandingbyhischair,hesitatingtospeak.Therewasaconfusedhumofwheelsbelow,andthesedativebuzzofanelectricfan.
"Ahem!
Peabody,"saidDodson,blinking."Imusthavefallenasleep.Ihadamostremarkabledream.Whatisit,Peabody?
"
"Mr.Williams,sir,ofTracy&Williams,isoutside.HehascometosettlehisdealinX.Y.Z.Themarketcaughthimshort,sir,ifyouremember."
"Yes,Iremember.WhatisX.Y.Z.quotedatto-day,Peabody?
"
"Oneeighty-five,sir."
"Thenthat'shisprice."
"Excuseme,"saidPeabody,rathernervously"forspeakingofit,butI'vebeentalkingtoWilliams.He'sanoldfriendofyours,Mr.Dodson,andyoupracticallyhaveacornerinX.Y.Z.Ithoughtyoumight--thatis,Ithoughtyoumightnotrememberthathesoldyouthestockat98.Ifhesettlesatthemarketpriceitwilltakeeverycenthehasintheworldandhishometootodelivertheshares."
TheexpressiononDodson'sfacechangedinaninstanttooneofcoldferocitymingledwithinexorablecupidity.Thesoulofthemanshoweditselfforamomentlikeanevilfaceinthewindowofareputablehouse.
"Hewillsettleatoneeighty-five,"saidDodson."Bolivarcannotcarrydouble."
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